Making Sure Those Valentine Sweets Don’t Leave a Bitter Aftermath

Valentine’s Day is not far off and chances are your Little Hero, along with many other children in classrooms around the Rio Grande Valley, will be bombarded with Valentine cards and candies. While a sweet and delicious treat can be bring your Little Hero a boost of sugary energy, it can often come with drawbacks if heroic action isn’t taken. Don’t let those candies leave a mark on your Little Hero’s super smile and follow our Super Sidekick’s guide to post-candy cleanup!

Don’t Get Exposed!

Streptococcus is naturally occurring bacteria that love to eat sugar and are often found in your Little Hero’s mouth. When the bacteria gorge down on all the sugar your Little Hero has been eating, it produces acids that can eat away at your child’s pretty smile! While drinking water can help, it may not be able to reach the candy that becomes lodged between the teeth’s crevices. The longer the candy stays there, the longer the bacteria have to eat it and produce all those nasty acids! This means the harm done to teeth by sugar is not a result of the amount of candy your Little Hero eats, but the amount of time it stays in his/her mouth.

Take Preventive Action!

The Sidekicks at Little Heroes Pediatric Dentistry know it can often be hard to resist a delicious piece of candy, but there are some things your Little Hero can do to prevent any damage:

• Avoid eating caramel or other soft candies that can linger in the mouth for long periods
• Brush your teeth after indulging in sweets
• If brushing isn’t an option, rinse your mouth with water immediately after eating candy
• Find an equally-delicious alternative to sweets such as sugar-free candy

Be a Little Hero!

Your Little Hero’s fight against the ravenous Sugarbugs can be long and grueling, but with you (the real hero) by his/her side, they’ll have all the power they need! It’s time to equip your child with the power of oral hygiene in a fun and engaging way! If you have any questions or if your Little Hero is in need of our super tools and power chambers, give us a call in Mission today.